Memories
by azenthar
Summary: Ansem the Wise reminisce on past memories when he was a child about a sweet, savoury skyblue coloured snack he so dearly loves.


_NOTE : May be a spoiler to those that haven't beaten Kingdom Hearts II, yet. This was written from reading all the reports that Ansem wrote._

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Ansem the Wise loves sea-salt ice cream.

That fact is a no-brainer since the professor seems to like eating them just about any time during the day. He would eat one after waking up early in the mornings, starting off with a fresh start on a new day of beginning on that research him and his apprentices have been working on for the past week, the heart. The man even enjoys eating them during the winters, where days are usually cold and many people find hot beverages and food a more considerable thing to enjoy during the cold weather. Ansem found an even better way of enjoying his favourite snack during these circumstances by sitting next to a warm open fire while sitting snug in an armchair, a book opened in front of him.

Even Ienzo, the youngest of his six apprentices, enjoys the splendour of something simple as a frozen snack on a stick.

Some of his older apprentices questioned him about how a wise, old man such as himself can take pleasure in something kiddy as a Popsicle, and each time they asked, he would only smile and tell him the same thing he told Ienzo.

"When I was young, younger than our dear friend Ienzo here," Ansem added as he eyed each of his apprentices, eased himself into his favourite seat next to the fire, and continued. "I was overly ecstatic when I got my first few munnies I have ever earned from my Mother. Now, the first question that came to me was: What would I spend them on?"

Braig coughed and nudged Even. "I bet Even here would've spent them on some basic chemistry set when he was a kiddo." The slightly aging man punched him in the shoulder when he laughed.

"Just because I don't blow up everything that I try to mix, doesn't mean that I thought of being some mad scientist when I grow up!" Even glowered at his younger colleague and clenched his hand into a fist.

Braig chuckled a bit and exchanged looks of amusement with Dilan, who was having difficulty keeping back some of his laughter, and said, "You don't need to grow up. In fact, by the looks of it, I think you already are a _mad scientist_." At this, the two laughed their hearts out, and Even was near to beating the duo.

The platinum blond man waved his hand to silence the two before anything bad happens and looked sternly at his most troublemaking apprentice in the eyes. "Now, there's nothing wrong with getting the things that you like. I'm pretty sure you would've done the same, Braig."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't spend it on something as stupid as some chemistry set."

Even growled, now clenching and unclenching his hands into fists, and seethed through gritted teeth. "I-never-said-anything-about-getting-a-chemistry set!"

"Woah, chill, dude. All this stress and searing temper is going to cause you a heart attack one of these days if you keep it up."

"Not when you're still alive!"

"Now that's an all time low…"

"BE QUIET!"

All was silent and everyone turned to stare at Ienzo who was sitting cross legged in front of their professor, annoyance clearly etched across his face. "That's better. Now if you don't mind, SOME of us would like to hear the rest of our Master's story!" Xehanort and Elaeus nodded in agreement and sipped some coffee.

Ansem rubbed his temples with his fingers and sighed. "Even, calm down and kindly have a seat. Braig and Dilan, stop terrorizing your elders and have a seat as well." The three apprentices reluctantly took some chairs and seated in them, Even still angered by Braig's irrational behaviour. Braig mumbled something about not wanting to be there and pouted. "If you do not wish to be here, you can leave if you want. Do what you will, but please, don't do anything rash while you're away." Amber eyes stared seriously into the copper coloured ones of his apprentice when he looked up, and Braig couldn't help but look away and break the gaze, wallowing up in his growing self-guilt at how stupid he was acting now and before.

The charcoal haired man stood up and did a slight bow. "Thank you, sir. And uh…sorry about acting…well…stupid earlier." Even scoffed, Braig turned around to give the old guy a glare and looked back to his teacher.

Ansem shook his head. "I think 'childish' or 'immature' is the word that you are looking for. Not 'stupid'. I don't have any stupid apprentices. They are equally bright in their own distinct way." Ienzo beamed up at Elaeus and did thumbs up to each other. "Besides, I don't think I am the one who you should be apologizing to. Don't you have anything to say to Even?"

Braig groaned and grudgingly turned around to face the scientist. He took in a deep breath as if it would be his last and spoke, "I'm sorry, _Even_, for being an immature, disorderly figure to the world."

The old man raised his eyebrows at this. "Do you actually mean all of what you just said?" Before he could get an answer, Braig left the room and into the kitchen.

Elaeus looked towards Even. "I think that was a 'no'." The scientist gave a low growl.

"So what did you spend it on?" Xehanort asked, trying to get everyone to get back on track and stay focus.

Ansem scratched his chin a little and stared off into the distance. "Well, to put it simple, I spent it on my first sea-salt ice cream. And that marked the first moment that I fell in love with the sweet, savoury snack."

Ienzo titled his head to the side a bit and stared up at his teacher. "Gee, you make it sound like it was your long-lost lover or something." Everyone let out a light-hearted laugh and Dilan ruffled the boy's hair. "What?"

"Well, you could put it that way if you want. But," Ansem stood up from his seat and eyed his apprentices. "I think its right well around the time where we should all get back to our research, yes?" He smiled lightly when each of his apprentices let out a sigh. "Come on, now."

"Yes, sir." Everyone chorused and they all stood up to get the books and needed equipment.

They all scattered into small groups. Ienzo and Xehanort at the books, pulling out ridiculously large tomes and small research novels out of the bookshelf, and Even set at work with the many chemicals and various sized beakers at the table with his assistant, Elaeus, who is doing pathetically retrieving the needed items for the scientist which he respectively received a nice scold from the old man every time he drops a beaker or a glass tube. Braig came in munching on a donut in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, sipping in-between bites. He saw his other colleagues at work and walked over to help Dilan with cleaning up the mess Elaeus made with the shattered glass on the ground since the guy accidentally cut himself with a shard.

"Clumsy fool," Even muttered as he rummaged through some drawers for a band-aid. "Come 'ere before you start whimpering like a child." Elaeus obliged and limply stuck the finger that got cut towards Even as he ran it thoroughly in warm water before adding the band-aid.

_Like a child…yes._

That's exactly how he felt whenever he is having some sea-salt ice cream, he thought while watching his apprentices at work. It reminded him so much of his childhood memories.

And like most elderly people who have reached the age of feeling…well, old, he often wishes that he could be a child once more.

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**A/N** : Just something random that came into my mind. And the funny thing is I enjoyed typing this up. Especially the parts with Even and Braig. n.n;

I dunno if I got everyone's character down, but I tried. I always thought that Ienzo (or Zexion, whichever) was the opposite than how he is right now. You know, being all youthful and cheery while under Ansem's teaching. But oh well…


End file.
